How do you choose a shaper?

[saltydog]

I've been contemplating on getting a custom longboard to fit my skills (or lack thereof) and body size. I'm fortunate to have many local shapers to choose from, but then how do I choose?

a) a well-received-by-locals, established shaper that specializes in longboards
b) a surf shop where the owner has seen me surf on occasion but he (and possibly his shapers) doesn't shape as many boards as a full-time shaper
c) other options???

[waikikikichan]

Find other surfers of similar body shape and skill who ordered custom boards, and see who shaped them. Wade Tokoro who is well known shaper in Hawaii, makes great shortboards. But isn’t into making longboards. Kimo Greene is well known for his big boy long(er) boards. But I haven’t seen too many 5’4” shortboards from him.
Just remember, it’s a relationship between you and the shaper. It takes time for you to get to know him and him you. The more you are honest with the info you give him, the better he can dial in his shape.

[oldmansurfer]

I have tried 4 shapers (maybe 5 if you count me). One was a friend and I had him make a fish back when it was a new design and he wasn't familiar with it. That was a bust. My first board was custom made for me without my knowledge and turned out to be a good board (a birthday present). When that board started falling apart I accidentally found a shaper while driving around checking out the surf I came across his wife and daughter stranded due to car trouble and gave them a ride home. The wife noticed that I had an old beat up board and mentioned her husband was a shaper. Not only was he a shaper but one that I had heard of prior with a good reputation for making boards. I told him how I was surfing and what kind of waves I liked (6 to 8 foot fast hollow waves) and he made me a fantastic board. I noticed right away it was quicker probably though that was due to the accumulation of patches over the entire older board. He went on and made me several boards over the years although I made on myself because I had ideas about surfboards and wanted to try them out. It was good for me because it showed me how little I knew about board design. The board actually was a great board for fast tubing waves but hard turns were difficult ( I could do them but they felt awkward). I quit surfing for 12 years and then restarted originally with a big wave gun from a garage sale then a secondhand longboard made by my original shaper who had quit shaping due to illness. The longboard was great and actually the gun was pretty good too but the longboard made it easier to catch waves. I was happy for a while and then I noticed the weight of the longboard as I was whipping it around in turns. My neighbor let me use his board shaped by a shaper who specializes in old surfer boards. That board was great but it seemed to get me tossed off when I was in the whitewater compared to the longboard. So I met that shaper and told him where I was at surfing skill wise, where i surfed, and that I used that one board and it seemed great except for getting tossed off the board in the foam. He has been my shaper for a long time now (4 boards from him). My shapers always start off as a business arrangement but become my friend with time. I think it's difficult maybe but I have been lucky with shapers. One was an established shaper who taught Ben Aipa to shape and the other just a guy who likes making boards for old guys because he is one too. I knew the first shaper would be good but the other one I tried out one of his boards first.

[RinkyDink]

I've been contemplating on getting a custom longboard to fit my skills (or lack thereof) and body size. I'm fortunate to have many local shapers to choose from, but then how do I choose?

a) a well-received-by-locals, established shaper that specializes in longboards
b) a surf shop where the owner has seen me surf on occasion but he (and possibly his shapers) doesn't shape as many boards as a full-time shaper
c) other options???

I had a custom board made for me once a lifetime ago. I still have the board; it's 6'4" (the size I requested back then ) and one of these days I'm actually going to ride it. Anyway, if I were going to get a custom board, I would follow one important rule. If I order a board, then the shaper needs to be able to articulate why the board fits my needs. I can go into any surf shop and browse the boards and come up with ideas about why this or that board might work for the waves I'm riding, but if I walk away from a consultation with a shaper I want to really understand and be excited about the board. Ideally I want a shaper who is also something of a teacher. In other words, the best shaper for me right now is one who I learn something about surfing and board design every time I have a conversation with them.

Some shapers, I suspect, are great at their craft, but can't really put their ideas into words. Those shapers are better suited to advanced surfers who already know what they want. I want a shaper who has the patience to explain my board design to me so I understand it and can put it to good use. I want to know how the volume of the board will be distributed and why. I should come away understanding how the rail design will compliment my surfing. Fin placement, fin types, length, width, nose shape, tail shape, glassing heaviness, board color and look (I like rails that are outlined), etc. I would even hope that my shaper will reveal things I had no idea about. I'm probably a pain-in-the-ass customer, but that's what I'd want from a shaper. If the board delivers on the things the shaper explains, then I would probably return for another board at some point and we'd start planning a new surfing/learning trajectory for the next board. That's how I imagine it should go ideally.

[oldmansurfer]

I would say this of shapers. Don't tell them what you want specifically board design wise, tell them what you can do with the board you have and where you want to go with your surfing and let them pick the design to fit you. If they are any good at it they will be better at picking a board for you than you are yourself.

[saltydog]

Thanks for all the input!

Find other surfers of similar body shape and skill who ordered custom boards, and see who shaped them.

That's a really good point that I haven't thought about, but it makes sense. And oldmansurfer's experience too backs it up. That makes me think I should go with option a) the locally well known shaper who shapes for variety of body shapes and sizes including lighter adults of various skill levels.

Still, as both waikikikichan and oldmansurfer say, being honest with my skill level, trusting the shaper to translate what I need in a form of a surfboard shape, and building a relationship crucial in obtaining a magic board.

If I order a board, then the shaper needs to be able to articulate why the board fits my needs. I can go into any surf shop and browse the boards and come up with ideas about why this or that board might work for the waves I'm riding, but if I walk away from a consultation with a shaper I want to really understand and be excited about the board. Ideally I want a shaper who is also something of a teacher. In other words, the best shaper for me right now is one who I learn something about surfing and board design every time I have a conversation with them.

Some shapers, I suspect, are great at their craft, but can't really put their ideas into words. Those shapers are better suited to advanced surfers who already know what they want. I want a shaper who has the patience to explain my board design to me so I understand it and can put it to good use. I want to know how the volume of the board will be distributed and why. I should come away understanding how the rail design will compliment my surfing. Fin placement, fin types, length, width, nose shape, tail shape, glassing heaviness, board color and look (I like rails that are outlined), etc. I would even hope that my shaper will reveal things I had no idea about. I'm probably a pain-in-the-ass customer, but that's what I'd want from a shaper. If the board delivers on the things the shaper explains, then I would probably return for another board at some point and we'd start planning a new surfing/learning trajectory for the next board. That's how I imagine it should go ideally.

I agree, RinkyDink. The board design is very fascinating and I want to know what make things work for me and why.

What makes my local shop guy great is that he'd take the time to explain things to me. The other day, he gave me a walkthrough on rail designs and gave me some ideas on what features I should look for in a board should I order a custom from him. It just that he doesn't seem to process as much volume of orders so I'm not sure he and his shapers have enough skills to translate all the ideas into a board that I would benefit from.